Historical novels. Book 6

Historical novels. Book 6: Chronicles of the Canongate: 1. The Highland Widow; 2. The Two Drovers; 3. The Surgeon's Daughter; 4. The Fair Maid of Perth, or, St Valentine's Day. 


Chronicles of the Canongate:


- 1st series

Published: 1827

 

1. The Highland Widow

2. The Two Drovers      

3. The Surgeon's Daughter 


- 2nd series 

Published: 1828


4. The Fair Maid of Perth, or, St Valentine's Day.


Chronicles of the Canongate is a collection of stories by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1827 and 1828. They are named after the Canongate, in Edinburgh.

The MacTavish family lived near Oban in 1775. Hamish MacTavish Mohr ("Senior"), a daring freebooter, had met his death in an encounter with the Saxon red-coats, by whom the Highlands were garrisoned after the battle of Culloden. His wife, who had shared all his dangers, strove to inspire their only son with his father's love of adventure and hatred of servile toil; but as he grew up the lad evinced no inclination for lawless pursuits, and, unable to endure his mother's taunts at his want of spirit, enlisted in one of the regiments formed in Scotland to oppose the French in the American war of independence. Before sailing he sent her some money by Phadraick, and returned to spend a few days with her, when she fiercely reproached him for daring to act in opposition to her will, and, failing to alter his purpose, drugged his parting-cup, thus causing him to exceed his furlough, and render himself liable to the lash as a deserter. She then urged him to flee to her kinsmen, while she baffled his pursuers; but he resolved to await the arrival of the sergeant and men of his regiment who, he felt sure, would be sent to arrest him. They came, and, on being summoned to surrender, he shot the sergeant dead...